Method and means for making knitting needles



March E2, 1946; H. w. DONYISTHORPE V 93 39 METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING KN'I'liTING NEEDLES Filed Oct. 10, 1944 9 Sheets-Sheet l V i I V FAG]. V F/ March 12, 1946n- H. w. DONlsTHoRPE METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES File d Oct; 10, 1944 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 r .a M vm y .41.. k: mm. mm 5 N3 om 3 Q@ A ww J 3 Y Q U v v Q .N V 01 March 12,: 1946.. H. w. DONISTHORPE 2,396,412

METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES Filed Qct. 10, 1944 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG/4.

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FIG/7y In venlor WMST/flfifi ",7 v By Z Altornefi March 12, 1946; H. w. DONISTHORPE l 2,396,412 I I METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES Filed Oct. 10, 1944 9 Sheets-Shet 6 FIG l9.

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March 1 2, 1946.

H. w. DONLSTHORPE METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES Filed Oct. 10, 1944 9 sheets sheet 7 I nuentor Z Hy Al torneys March 12, 1946, H. W..DONISTHORPE Filed Oct. 10, 1944 METHOD AND MEANS. FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 12/ 123 I29 I34 L93 Hvt , ltorneys Inventor March 12, 1946. H. w. DONISTHORPE 3 312 I METHOD AND4MEAN S FOR MAKING KNITTING NEEDLES I Filed Oct. 10, 1944 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG 29.

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In venlor if l /wwwa Patented Mar. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 10, 1944, Serial No. 558,035 In Great Britain November 8, 1943 14 Claims.

In United States Patent No. 2,229,929 tubular knitting needles are described in which the needle hook is formed as an extension of a portion of the wall of a tubular shank. Such a needle operates in conjunction with a tongue which, in the operation of the machine, undergoes to-andfro movement with respect to the needle between a position in which the tipof the tongue is concealed in the needle shank and a position in which the tip of the tongue overlaps the needle hook, the tubular needle shank serving accurately to guide the tongue at all times during each cycle of operations. For fine work such needles have to be constructed in very small sizes so that the wall of the tube is. extremely thin and the material available for forming the hook as a direct exten-. sion of a portion of the tube wall is very small. In United States Patent No. 2,237,480, therefore, it is proposed to make the portion of the tube wall at which the hook emerges thicker than the other portions of the tube wall so that suflicient material is available for a hook that will withstand the stresses involved in the operation of the needle. One way in which the wall of the tube may be thickened is by brazing or soldering a, metal strip along one side of the tube, the hook being formed on the strip rather than on the tube itself. This method, however, involves a certain amount of complication in the manufacturing process, and, as these needles have to be produced in large quantities, it is highly desirable for the manufacturing process to be as simple as possible. An aim of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a tubular machine knitting needle having a tubular shank with an integral hook which may be easily manufactured in large quantitie and, if required, in very small sizes, while providing a hook which is adequate for practical conditions.-

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, Wherein one end of a tube is flattened, a substantial longitudinal portion of the flattened end removed, leaving an edge thereof, and the end of the projection constituted by the said edge bent to form a hook. The flattening andsubsequent removal of a substantial portion of the flattened portion may alone be sufiicient to provide a projection on which a hook can be properly positioned, but advantageously the end of the tube, before being flattened, may be ofiset to lie parallel to and to one side of the body of the tube. A grinding operation may be employed to open one side of the tube at the point where the associated tongue is to pass out of the needle shank to the point at which itis to overlap the hook.

' The invention also provides' a machine for per-- forming the aforesaid method, the machine having means for carrying a tube to units for flattening the end of the tube, shearing away a portion of the flattened end, and bending the remainder of the flattened end to form a hook.

The initial tube may be of circular cross section or it may be of elliptical or similar crosssection. The needles-are particularly suitable for warp knitting machines but they may also be used in circular and like machines in which the needles are individually mounted in tricks. In the latter case each needl shank is provided with a butt to be acted upon by the appropriate cam track, and the associated tongue isalso provided with a butt for cooperation with another cam track.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a method and a machine in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an initial length of tube,

Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the length of tube after it has been subjected to a bending opera tion,

Figure 4' is a side elevation of the length of tube of Figure 3 after it has been subjected also to a flattening operation,

Figure 5 is a section on the 1ine'V-V in Figure 4,

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of the tube after a shearing operation has been performed thereon,

Figure 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII in Figurefi,

Figures 9 and 10 are respectively an elevation and a plan of the tube of Figures 6 to 8 after a grinding operation has been performed thereon,

Figure 11 is a section on the line XI-XI in Figure; 9, 4

Figure 12 is an elevation ofthe' tube of Figures 9 to 11 after it has been formed with a hook to provide a substantially finished machine knitting needle,

, Figure 13 is a front elevation of a machine for performing on a tube the operations described with reference to Figures, 1 to 12, v

Figure 14 is a plan of the machine of Figure 13,

Figure 15 is an end elevation of the machine of Figures 13 and 14 as viewed from one end,

( the blade-shaped part (Figure 4).

Figure 16 i an end elevation of the machine as viewed from the other end,

Figure 17 is a plan of a detail,

Figure 18 is a section on the line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 1'7,

Figures 19 and 20 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a unit in the machine for forming a tube first to the shape shown in Figure 3 and then to the shape shown in Figures 4 and 5,

Figure 21 is a section on the line XXIXXI in Figure 19,

Figures 22 and 23 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a unit in the machine for performing a shearing operation on the tube to convert it from one shape shown in Figures 4 and 5 to that shown in Figures 6 to 8,

Figure 24 is a section on the line XXIV-XXIV in Figure 22,

Figures 25 and 26 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a unit in the machine for grinding the tube so as to convert it from the shape shown in Figures 6 to 8 to that shown in Figures 9 to 11,

Figure 27 is a section on the line XXVII- XXVII in Figure 26,

Figure 28 is a plan of a detail,

Figures 29 and 30 are respectively a sideelevation and a plan of a unit in the machine for forming the shaped tube with a hook,

Figure 31 is a section on the line QXIXXXI in Figure 30, and

Figure 32 is a plan of a detail.

The manufacture of a machine knitting needle is begun by taking a simple tube of circular cross-section as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This tube may have very small cross-sectional dimensions so that the said figures may be regarded as showing it on a greatly enlarged scale. For example, for a 28 gauge warp knitting machine (i. e; a machine having a needle density of twenty-eight needles to the inch along the needle bar) the length of tube would have an outside diameter of 0.018 inch and a wall thickness of 0.003 inch.

The first operation on the length of tube is to bend it to the cranked shape shown in Figure 3 so that one end I of the tube is offset and joined to the main body 2 by an inclined portion 3. The end I is then flattened so that it takes a shape 5 (Figures 4 and 5) resembling the blade of an oar. Next a substantial amount of the flattened portion is sheared away so as to leave a narrow projection 6 (Figures 6 to 8) The overall crosssection of this projection 6 is less than that of the main body of the tube but, owing to the fact that, as viewed in Figure '7, it comprises two thicknesses of the tube wall, the projection 6 is sufficiently robust to be formed with a satisfactory hook. It will be observed that the projection 6 is joined to the body 2 of the tube by a portion 1 which expands, as viewed in Figure 7, and comprises the inclined portion 3 of Figure 3 as modified by the flattening of Figure 4. The portion '1 includes a fin 8 which is a remnant of The next step is, therefore, to grind away this fin 8 so as completely to remove it and open the wall of the tube so that it takes the shape shown in Figures 9 to 11. This shape is such that the projection 6 is joined to the body 2 by an inclined and slightly tapered trough-shaped part 9. The grinding is followed by a polishing operation to remove any roughness due to the grinding. Finally the projection is bent to provide the hook in (Fi ure 12). The needle is now finished except for such heat treatment and final polishing as may be necessitated by the material from which the needle is made. One very suitable material for the needle is 0.6% to 0.7% carbon steel.

The needle is of the nature of those described in patent specifications Nos. 2,229,929 and 2,237,- 480 and a detailed description of its manner of use is unnecessary except to say that, when mounted in a knitting machine, the body 2 of the needle serves as a tubular guide for a tongue in the form of a wire or fine tube, and, in the operation of the knitting machine, both the needle and the tongue are moved to-and-fro in timed relationship between positions in which th tip of the tongue is concealed in the needle shank or body 2 and in which the tongue projects through the trough-shaped part 9 far enough for its tip to overlap the hook 10.

The machine shown in Figures 13 to 32 is designed automatically to perform the operations described above with reference to Figures 1 to 12. For this purpose the machine is furnished with five forming units A, B, C, D and E (Figures 13 and 14) to which lengths of tube, previously cut to the appropriate length, are carried in succession. These units operate simultaneously so that five tubes are acted on in each cycle of the machine, each tube being in a difierent stage in its development from a simple tube to the machine needle shown in Figure 12, and five cycles of the machine are required to form a machine needle from any one tube. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the lengths of tube have to be carried through the machine in steps and for this purpose they are mounted in succession in vices ll carried by and equi-distantly spaced alon an endless chain i2 mounted on a pair of sprockets l3 and 14. The sprocket I3 is fixed to a spindle l5 journaled in a bearing I 6 (Figures 14 and 15) mounted on the machine frame. At its other end the spindle l5 carries a ratchet assembly I! which, being exactly the same as a bicycle free-wheel, requires no further description. The peripheral sprocket teeth on the assembly H mesh with a length of chain 18 (Figure 15), as used on a bicycle, fixed in an arcuate groove in a flange l9 (Figure 14) on a rocking member 20 mounted on a fixed journal 2|. The member 20 is formed with an extension 22 carrying a roller 23 which is maintained in engagement with the periphery of a cam 24 by a spring 24* acting on the member 20. The cam 24 is rotated uniformly during the operation of the machine, undergoing one revolution for each machine cycle, and it is shaped so that, at the beginning of each cycle, it causes the member 20 to rock to-and-iro. While the cam 24 permits the spring 24 to swing the member 20 downwards the ratchet assembly I! is ineffective but, when the cam 24 swing the member.20 in the reverse direction, th ratchet a sembly l1 causes the sprocket 13 to feed the upper run of the chain 12 to the left as viewed in Figure 13 an amount equal to the distance between any two adjacent vices H, which distance corresponds to the spacing of the forming units A E. The sprocket I4 is fixed to a spindle 26 freely mounted in a journal 21 on the machine frame.

As shown in Figure 14 the shaft 25 extends substantially from end to end of the machine and, at its end remote from the cam 24, carries a worm wheel 26 in mesh with a Worm 21 on ashaft 28 driven by an electric motor 29, connected by a belt 30 to a pulley wheel 3| connected by a dog clutch 32 to the shaft 28. The dog clutch 32 is of conventional design and may be operated at will by a handle 33 to stop the machine.

Each of the vices H comprises a base member 34 secured to the chain 1'2 and formed with a guide channel 35 in which. a slide 36 is mounted for movement at right angles to th length of the chain towards and away from the units A E. The slide 36 is shaped along each side 31, as shown in Figures 18, to fit undercut grooves at the sides of the channel 35. Above the channel 35 the slide 36 carries two transverse rods 38' formed with heads 39 and mounted to slide longitudinally in corresponding bores in the slide 36.

Compression springs fill are interposed respectively between the heads 39 and the adjacent side of the slide 35. Beyond the opposite side of the slide 36 the rods 3%- are joined together by a bar 39 having a circular cross-section at its centre but formed at its ends with flat faces. 42 which bear against the ends of the rods 38-, the bar 4! being secured to the rods 38 by screws 43. A lever M is mounted to swing to-and-fro, between the rods 38, on the bar 3!, the lever 44 being formed with a circular apertur which fits the central portion of the bar H.

Each of the rods 38 carries an upstanding pin 45 and each such pin lies in a transverse groove 36 formed in, and extending half-way across, 7

the slide. On the other half of the slide 36 is mounted a plate i! and this, together with the two pins 35, constitute the jaws of the vice. Thus, when the jaws of the vice are closed, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, and if a length of tube X, similar to that described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2, has been placed between them, they grip the tube, the latter being heldbetween one edge of the plate 41 and the pins 55. So that the length of the tube that projects beyond the vice may be accurately determined, the slide 36 carries a second plate 48 against the front edge of which the tail end of the tube X is located. The plate 68 is secured to the slide 36 by a screw 49 passing through a slot 50 which permits of adjustment of the plate 48 along the slide 35.

It will be observed in Figure 13 that those vices it that are idle and lie beneath the chain [2 have their levers 4:3 horizontal while those vices I! that register with the forming units A E have their levers 4% vertical. The reason for this is that the vice jaws are closed by swinging the lever 44 from the horizontal to the vertical position. Accordingly, when (in the step-by-step movement of the chain) a vice H reaches the position indicated by Y in Figures 13 and 14, the lever 44 is in the horizontal position (i. e., not in the position shown in those figures), and in the horizontal position the springs 38 act on the heads 39 of the rods 38 to hold the latter in positions in which the pins 45 are an appreciable distance from the adjacent edge of the plate 41. On reaching the position Y, however, the operator of the machine inserts a length of tube X between the edge of the plate 41 and the pins 45,

ure 18 its flat, edge 52 is held against the adja-' cent face of the slide 36 by the springs 40. tend-l ing to urge the rods 38 to. the right. After each vice II has been carried past the forming units A .'E, it reaches a horizontal pin 53' fixedto' a pillar 54 and; in brushing past the pin 53, the lever 44 is caused to snap back to the horizontal position, whereupon the vice l l on reaching a position Z (Figure 13) does not prevent the formed machine needle from falling into a receptacle 55' in which the needles are collected in succession.

When, in the step-by-step movement of the chain l2, a vice H is carried into register with; one of the forming units A E, the slide 36: must be thrust forward to bring the free end of the tube X into operative position with respect to the unit. Then, after the tube has been. acted on by. the unit, the slide 36 must be drawn. back so that the vice [.l is free to be moved late erally once more. For this purpose the outer end of each slide carries a pin 55 which, so long as the vice is on the top run of the chain I2, projects downwardly and, while in the vicinity of the forming units A E, extends into a trough 51 carried by two rods 58 mounted to move longitudinally. Two springs 59 (Figure 14) tend to urge the rods towards the rear of the machine, the rods 58 and springs 59 being below a plate structure 60 on which the forming units A E, are mounted. The rods 58 are connected together by a member Sit which projects through slots 6| in the plate structure 60 and at its centreis mounted on a slide 62 arranged to reciprocate in a guide 63 and carrying a roller 64: maintained in contact with a cam 65' by the springs 59. The cam 65 is fixed to a shaft 66 geared; by gears 67 and B8 to the shaft 25. Thus, when. the machine is running, the cam 65 causesthe trough 51 to move towards anad away from the forming units while carrying the associated slides 35 to-and-fro in timed relationship with the other operations of the machine. T insure that the slides 36 are properly positioned with respect to the trough 57 when the latter is. moving the slides 36 towards the forming units. A E, adjustable cams 69 are secured to the back wall of the trough 5'! in register with the forming units A E and each time the chain r l2 comes to rest one of the slide pins 56 is in engagement with the centre of each of the cams. 69.

The forming units A E will now be described in detail. The unit A is shown in Figures 19 to 21. When a vice H, is moved forward to the position shown in Figures 19 and 20, the forward end of the tube X overlies an anvil 10; Two die plates ii and I2 lie above the anvil Hi and when the tube X moves over the anvil 10, these plates are separated somewhat more than when they are in their active positions shown in Figures 19 and 20. The die plate 'II is secured to a member [3 bearing against a lever 14 on one side and, on the other side, against a compression spring 7% interposed between the. member 13 and the anvil 70. The lever 14' is mounted on a spindle 11 carried by cars '18 extending from the anvil H3. The die plate 12 is fixed to a member 19 carrying rods 88* and 8! that project into bores in the anvil It. The rod 8| passes through the anvil to the lever 14, to which it is pivoted at 82. Compression springs 83 and 84 are interposed between the anvil 1'0 and the member 19. When the initial tube has been positioned over the anvil 10 and between the die plates H and 12', a cam 85 on a face of a cam disc 86 acts on a roller 81 at one end of a lever 88 to turn the latter about a pivot 89 and cause its remote end to press the member 19 inwards towards the anvil 10 against the springs 83 and 84. Simultaneously the rod 8| turns the lever 14 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 21, to press the member 13 inwards towards the anvil 10 against the compression spring 16. Thus, the die plates TI and 12 converge on the tube X and bend it to the form shown in Figure 3.

The cam disc 86 is fixed to a shaft 90 which has a gear 91 in mesh with the gear 68 so that it rotates continuously during the operation of the machine. When the cam 85 has passed the cam roller 81, the springs 16, 83 and 84 cause the die plates H and 12 to separate and soon afterwards a cam 9'2 on the periphery of the cam disc 86 lifts a roller 93 at one end of a lever 94 to turn the latter about a pivot 95 against the action of a spring 96. Accordingly, a narrow die 91 on the lever 94 is pressed on the end of the tube to flatten it and thereby convert it substantially to the shape shown in Figures 4 and 5 Then, after the cam 92 has permitted the spring 96 to raise the die 91, a cam 98 on the face of the cam disc 86 acts on the lever 88 to cause the die plates H and 12 to approach each other once more to true the fiattened end of the tube X. Owing to the fact that the end of the tube X has now been widened by the flattening operation, the cam 98 is shaped so as to move the die plates slightly less than they are moved by the cam 85. When the cam 98 has moved beyond the roller 81 so that the die plates H and 12 have receded from each other once more, the vice II can withdraw the tube X from between the die plates and the tube is then carried to the unit B.

The unit B is shown in detail in Figures 22 to 24. When an anvil II has registered with the unit B, the tube X is moved longitudinally until its flattened end lies over an anvil 99 and beneath a clamping surface I00. The clamping surface I is formed on an angle piece IOI mounted to slide vertically on the anvil 99. The vertical portion of the angle piece IOI is held against the anvil 99 by a plate I02 held between the head of a screw I03 and a washer I04. The angle piece IOI is formed with a slot I05 so that the up-and-down movement of the angle piece is not impeded by the washer I04. A spring I06 urges the angle piece upwards to its inactive position. When, however, the tube X has been positioned under the clamping surface I00, a. cam I01 on the shaft 90 turns a lever I08 about a pivot I09 against the action of a spring IIO to depress the angle piece NH and clamp the tube on the anvil 99. The clamping surface I00 only engages one edge of the flattened portion of the tube, leaving the main part of the flattened portion exposed for shearing to convert it to the shape shown in Figures 6 to 8. The exposed portion lies over a discharge chute III in the anvil through which the waste passes. The shearing is effected by a shear member II2 carried by a member II3 mounted to slide up and down on pillars H4. The shear member H2 is operated by a cam II5 on the shaft 90 which acts on a lever IIO, pivoted at I09, to depress the member I I3 against compression springs I I1. When the cam II5 has passed the lever I08, the springs I I1 raise the shear member I I2 and then the cam I01 permits the spring IIO to turn the lever I08 clock-wise, as viewed in Figure 22, and the spring I06 to lift the clamping surface I00. The tube X is then carried to the forming unit C. The unit C is shown in Figures to 28 and in this the fin 8 of Figure 6 is ground away. Each tube X is projected by the associated vice II over an anvil I20, the tube being to one side of a plate I2I, and th tube is thereupon gripped by a plate I22 and a lever I23. The plate I22 is mounted to slide on top of the anvil I20, being guided thereon by a screw I23 which passes through a slot in the plate. The plate I22 is forced inwards to grip the main body 2 of the tube (see Figure 6) between itself and the plate I2I by a cam surface on the face of a cam disc I24 which acts on a lever I26 pivotally mounted at I21 and having an upstanding part I28 pivotally connected at I29 to the plate I22. When, however, a recess I25 in the cam surface is in register with the lever I26 the plate I22 can yield to permit the tube either to be inserted or withdrawn. The lever I23, which is pivoted at I30 (Figure 27) is pressed into engagement with the projection 6 (see Figure 6) on the tube, against the action of a spring I3I, by a lever I32 pivoted about a horizontal axis I33 and acted on by the periphery of the cam disc I24. The fin 8 (Figure 6) is ground away by a small grinding wheel I34 mounted on a spindle I35 carried by two bearings I36 on a block I31. Between the bearings I36 the spindle I35 carries a pulley I38 connected by an endless elastic belt I39 (Figure 13) to a pulley I40 on a shaft I4I driven by an electric motor I42. For each tube X to be ground the grinding wheel I34 is moved once to-and-fro in a vertical plane, and for this purpose the block I31 is formed with a vertical channel having under-cut sides which fit a vertical guide member I43 integral with a block I44 which is adjustably mounted on a support I45. The guide member I43 remains stationary during the operation of the machine and the block I3! is moved up and down thereon by a lever I46 which is pivoted about a horizontal axis I41 and is pivotally connected to the block I31 between lugs I48 at the top thereof. The lever I46 is rocked about the axis I41 by a cam I49 on the shaft.90. A certain amount of play is provided in the pivotal connection between the lever I46 and the block I31 so as to permit the lever I46 to rock while the block I31 moves in a straight line path.

The unit D is precisely the same as the unit C except that the grinding wheel I34 is replaced by a rotary wire polishing brush, such a brush I50 being shown in Figure 28 mounted on a block similar to the block I31.

The unit E is shown in Figures 29 to 32. Each vice II is arranged to cause a tube X to project over a turntable I5I so that the projection 6 lies just to one side of a small hole I52 at the centre of the turntable I5I. The lower end of a pin I53 is projected into the hole I52, the pin being fixed to a slide I54 which is lowered in a guide I55, against the action of a spring (not shown), by a lever I56 pivoted at I51 and acted on by a cam I 58 against which the lever is maintained by a spring I59. Furthermore, the tube X is held against moving across the turntable I5I in a direction away from the pin I53 by a shoulder I60 on a member I6I, carried by a lever I62 pivoted at I63 and lowered onto the tube X by a cam I64 against which the lever is maintained by a. spring I65. The turntable I5I is then swung to-and-fro about its axis by a rack I66 in mesh with a gear I61 fixed co-axially beneath the turntable I5I.

The rack l 66 is formed on a member 168 mounted to reciprocate and carrying a mixer-115s at its remote end. A spring 118 acts on the member I163 to maintain the roller l'fiS in engagementwith a cam IH, the rotation of which imparts the required to-and-fro motion to the turntable. The cams 153, i8 1 and H! are all on the shaft 93. In the return movement of the turntable "151 in the direction of the arrow P (Figure 32), the tip of the projection 5 is acted on by a curved surface I12 on a member H3 fixed to the turntable. A stop H4 is provided on the surface of the turntable and this engages the adjacent face of the member IBI to limit the movement of the surface I12 about the pin I53, so that a hook of the form shown by chain lines in Figure 32 is bent.

The member I73 is pivotedtc the turntable l5! at 115 and is adjustably locked by screws I16 and I?" screwed into bushes H8 and I19 on the turntable and bearing on the member'll3 on oppolongitudinal edge of said flattened end, also removing one side of the portion of said tube joining the main body thereof to said longitudinal edge to form an opening in said side, and bending said edge into the form of a hook with the tip of said hook pointing towards said opening.

2. A method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, comprising the steps of bending a tube so that one end thereof lies to one side of and is parallel to the main body of said tube, said end being joined to said main body of said tube by an oblique portion of said tube, flattening said end, removing a substantial longitudinal portion of said flattened end leaving one longitudinal edge thereof, also removing one side of said oblique portion of said tube to form an opening and bending the end of said edge to the shape of a hook with the tip of said hook pointing towards said opening.

3. A method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, comprising the steps of flattening one end of a tube, removing a substantial longitudinal portion of the flattened end of said tube leaving one longitudinal edge of said flattened end, grinding one side of said tube at the junction between the main body thereof and said flattened end so as to form an opening in said tube, and bending said edge to the shape of a hook with the tip of said hook pointing towards said opening.

l. A method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, comprising the steps of flattening one end of a tube, removing a substantial longitudinal portion of said flattened end leaving one lon gitudinal edge of said flattened end, grinding one side of said tube close to the juncture between said edge and said tube so as to form an opening at one side of said tube, polishing said tube in the vicinity of said opening, and bending said edge to the shape of a hook with the tip of said hook pointing towards said opening.

5. A method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, comprising the steps of flattening one end of a tube, removing a substantial portion of the flattened end leaving a portion thereof adapted to provide a hook, and also removing one side of the portion of said tube joining the main body thereof to said Ihook providing portion so as to form an opening in said side forthe passage of a member through said tube to cover the :hOOk.

6. A method of manufacturing a machine knitting needle, comprising the steps of bending a tube so that one end of said tube lies on one side of and parallel with the main body of said tube, said end being joined to said main body by an oblique portion of said tube, flattening said end, removing a substantial longitudinal portion of said end so as to leave one edge thereof, grinding said oblique portion '50 as to form an opening therein, and bending said edge to the shape of a hook having its tip substantially in alignment with the axis of the main body of said tube, said opening being formed on the side of said oblique portion nearest the tip of said hook.

'7. A machine formanufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine comprising, in :combination, a unit for flattening one endof a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as "to remove a substantial portionthereof but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding unit :for forming an opening in said'tube, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge, and means for carrying a tube in steps to said units in succession to be acted on thereby.

8, A machine for'manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine comprising, in :combination, a unit for flatteningone-end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof but to :leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding -unit for forming an opening in said tube, a polishing unit for polishing said tube in the vicinity of said opening, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge, and means for carrying a tube in steps to said units in succession to be acted on thereby.

9. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles comprising, in combination, a unit for bending and flattening one end of a tube, said unit including an anvil, dies, means for causing said dies to close on the end of said tube, while lying over said anvil, to offset said end, a further die, and means for causing said further die to descend on and flatten said offset end, the machine further comprising a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding unit for forming an opening in one side of said tube close to said longitudinal edge, a unit for forming a hook at the free end of said Ion-gitudinal edge, and means for carrying a tube in steps to said four units in succession to be acted on thereby.

10. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine including, in combination, a unit for flattening one end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof but to leave a longitudinal edgethereof, said shearing unit including an anvil, means for clamping on said anvil the edge of said flattened end opposite said first mentioned edge, a shear member, and means for actuating said shear member to remov said portion of said flattened end, the machine further comprising a unit for forming an opening in one side of said tube close to said longitudinal edge, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said first mentioned edge, and means for carrying a tube in steps to said units in succession to be acted on thereby.

11. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine including, in com bination, a unit for flattening one end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remov a substantial portion thereof but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding unit for forming an opening at one side of said tube close to said longitudinal edge, said grinding unit comprising means for gripping the tube, with the portion to be ground exposed, a grinding wheel, means for supporting said grinding wheel, means for rotating said grinding wheel, and means for moving said supporting means to-and-fro over said portion to be ground, the machine further including a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge-and means for carrying a tube in steps to said four units in succession to be acted on thereby.

12. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine including, in combination, a unit for flattening one end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof, but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding unit for forming an opening in said tube, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge,

said hook forming unit comprising a rotary de- 13. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine comprising, in combination, a unit for flattening one end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a grinding unit for forming an opening in on side of said tube close to said longitudinal edge, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge, and means, including a number of spaced vices, for carrying tubes in succession and in step-bystep fashion to the four said units.

14. A machine for manufacturing machine knitting needles, said machine comprising, in combination, a unit for flattening one end of a tube, a unit for shearing said flattened end so as to remove a substantial portion thereof but to leave a longitudinal edge thereof, a. grinding unit for forming an opening in one side of said tube close to said longitudinal edge, a unit for forming a hook at the end of said longitudinal edge, and means including a number of spaced vices for carrying tubes in succession and in step-bystep fashion to the four said units, each said vice including a slide whereby, on registering with any one of said units, the tube may be moved towards the unit in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vices to the several units.

HENRY WINTON DONISTHORPE. 

